KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' struggling players will be dragged onto the training ground during their days off this week after the latest in a long line of horror shows.

Boss Stuart Watkiss blasted his men for a lack of desire as second-from-bottom Harriers lost 3-1 to high-flying Southend United in Coca-Cola League Two yesterday.

And there is sure to be changes in the near future with Watkiss predicting three or four new signings before Saturday's clash with Lincoln City at Aggborough.

The additions will predictably see more departures from the club after Harriers' seventh home defeat of the season following their 5-1 Swansea City drubbing on Boxing Day.

Watkiss was fuming as Harriers again shipped late goals, letting in two Southend efforts in the last seven minutes once substitute Chris Beardsley had equalised.

He said: "We have got a lot of work to do before the Lincoln game. The players were scheduled for two days off but those have been cancelled.

"They are going to be on the training ground and we've got to come up with some reasons and solutions as to why the two home performances over Christmas and new year have been way short of the mark.

"It doesn't matter what you shout, what systems you play or whether you're passing short or long. If you've got to tackle the ball and you don't or you get muscled out of situations, you're going to struggle and that's what cost us."

In a dire first-half, Harriers went behind on 23 minutes when Tom Bennett conceded a free-kick and Freddy Eastwood lashed home a low set-piece past the wall from 20 yards.

Apart from a couple of tame shots by the industrious Simon Russell, the hosts only threatened when Blair Sturrock's glancing header from a Bennett cross landed on top of the net.

It led to a furious interval warning from Watkiss who admitted: "The first-half was very poor and very flat. Never ever before in a half-time teamtalk have I had to threaten players about their futures as professional footballers.

"Half-time should be spent putting the tactics right and fine-tuning or changing the system. It's disappointing and it's a sad reflection that I had to do that at half-time.

"The fact that I've had to have two very similar conversations in around a week's period is maybe an indication of why we're in the situation we are in."

The second-half was not much better as Harriers were still second to most balls and resorting to a hopeful long punt game that played into the hands of Southend's centre-halves.

John Danby followed up a great diving save from Nic Nicolau just before the interval with two brave blocks to deny Wayne Gray and strike partner Eastwood.

And Danby's brilliance looked to be even more vital when Beardsley fired home his first goal for the club from close range in the 79th minute after Jamie Gleeson volleyed Dean Keates' corner goalwards.

Sturrock and Beardsley both gave Southend further problems but Harriers then collapsed miserably, falling behind for a second time on 83 minutes.

Lawrie Dudfield picked out Nicolau and the wide man had plenty of time to find the top corner from 15 yards.

The visitors cut through again two minutes later and Eastwood buried an easy header into an empty net after Carl Pettefer had drawn Danby to provide the assist.

Harriers: *Danby 7; Jenkins 5, Weaver 6, Mullins 6, Beswetherick 5; Russell 6 (Beardsley 46, 6), Birch 5, Bennett 5, Keates 5, Foster 5 (Gleeson 46, 6); Sturrock 6. Subs not used: Lewis, Burton, Burns. Attendance: 2,755.